Creators Flock to ByteDance’s Lemon8 as TikTok’s Future Hangs in Balance

While significantly less popular than TikTok, the Lemon8 app is gaining traction among video content creators. As legislators across the U.S. threaten to ban TikTok, this new platform is becoming the go-to alternative.

Yet, what is being kept mostly quiet about Lemon8 is the fact that the platform is owned by the same Chinese company that runs TikTok: ByteDance. In a potentially sly move, ByteDance has been advertising on TikTok, encouraging video makers to create accounts on Lemon8.

Launched in the U.S. in 2023, this app lets users create short-form videos similar to the ones popularized by TikTok. While it has yet to rival TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users, Lemon8 has seen increased downloads over the last 30 days. The uptick is likely due to a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Jan. 10 that will determine if TikTok must break away from ByteDance or deal with being removed from app stores.

The Strategy Behind Growing the Lemon8 App

In November 2024, TikTok offered video makers the opportunity to establish Lemon8 accounts without creating a new username — they can simply use the one they already have on TikTok. Supposedly, the motivation to open these accounts was to expand and reach new audiences, giving creators the capability of cross-promoting content.

As such, TikTok influencers have been touting the new app to followers just in case the platform does get banned in the U.S. Some are even using paid posts with the tag #lemon8partner to encourage others to download the app.

However, a potential TikTok ban could apply to all the apps ByteDance owns, including Lemon8. With the company promoting the platform as an alternative and TikTok influencers suggesting a switch, it’s a possibility the little-known video app might go unnoticed, at least for a time.

A TikTok ban could put a substantial financial dent in ByteDance. In 2023, the TikTok parent saw a 60% growth in revenue, reaching over $40 billion. Pushing Lemon8 is apparently the company’s strategy to head off any potential earnings damage.

ByteDance has never revealed the total number of users on the newer platform. Yet, current speculation suggests the figure is small compared to its sister app, TikTok.